Oriental, Occidental governors to meet on NIR revival

The meeting on the revival of the Negros Island Region between Governors Eugenio Jose Lacson of Negros Occidental and Roel Degamo of Negros Oriental is yet to be arranged.

The meeting is highly anticipated since Gov. Degamo made a statement last year during a Regional Development Council meeting in Cebu City that his province will remain with Region 7, while Gov. Lacson is for NIR.

Gov. Lacson revealed that he already had a phone conversation with Degamo during the holiday break, although as of this morning he was unable to reach his counterpart in Negros Oriental.

Degamo pointed out that “cultural differences” is one reason for his opposition to the revival of the NIR, to which business groups called a “shallow” reason.

Lawmakers from both provinces are all in favor of reestablishing the region, which will become Region VI-B once approved into law and will be composed of the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor island.

The NIR was first established through an executive order issued by then-President Benigno Aquino III in 2015. But it was dissolved by his successor, then-President Rodrigo Duterte, in 2017 due to the high cost of maintaining the region.* (DGB)